Daily Republican., 1887-09-20
BRANDY WINE.


Roate 90 sns Bsttis-DsFsst or the
AmerioAns-crueity Of tho Hessinns.
Oae hundred and ten years ago today
one OF the most sanRuinsry battles OF
The Revolution Was fought on the Bran.
I y vine, from Chsdd's Ford, where the
and Baltimore Central
Railroad and tho Wilmington and
Railroad cross each other At
right angles, up tho historic stream as
lar - Painters Bridge, but mile end
. half or so above Blrmin CHAM Parx,
the whole distance from the southern
TO the northern point OF battle being
about six miles. Little do the thou.
sands OF travellers who pass these oele.
brated battle grounds In the cars think
tLat only o little over q century sgo
such historical personaRes ss Lord
Howe and General KnyphAusen, lead
ing 5000 British soldiers, were engaged
in . deadly strife with General Wash
inRton, mad Anthony" Wayne, Gem
eral Greene and Marquis deI.afAyetts,
nj the head Of Is. 900 Continental sol.
diers, fghtiog for liberty.
All this 10 historic ground; yea, more,
II 10 sacred ground, for here around this
old Birmingham meeting house some OF
the best blood OF . young nation. only o
little over . year old, WAS spilled in the
sacred cause Of liberty. The great i'm
portAnce OF this battle was show In its
results. and the defeat OF the Americans
on this day one hundred and ten years
aso gave to the British army Philadsl-
pbia and the control of the Delaware
river.
IL may not be interesting read ing 10
the many thousand readers of the BE
PUBLICAN to know som sthing about
the settlers and the surroundings OF
these noted battle grounds, or are these
readers 80 absorbed In reading the &C.
counts Of tue larger battles Of the lats
rebellion that they can take no interest
in q battle where Washington and La
fay ette fought? The American people
will never lose interest In reading the
details Of the times that tried m men .
souls and the distine he'd deeds OF
bravery that made the United States o
tres and independent nation.
Coming scross friend some time ago
who WAS born upon these noted battle
grounds, he seemed never TO tire in Civ.
ing q vivid description OF them and
everything elte connected with them,
including even the early settlers OF ths
country.
From his "reminiscences 1t was gath.
cred that VIM. Brinton OF Birmipah b o m
England, vas member OF q society
known rs "The Sons Of Light" derih-
.vely called Q1Akers and Ftierds after
coming to America. William had one
son and three daughters. Being perse.
cuted In England on account of his re-
iiaious faith, William emigrated to
america, where he could have the
privilege Of worshipping God aocoi ding
To the dictates OF his own conscience
He, his wifo and son William, with
others, embarked ON toArd ship bound
for Penn Sylvania or Penn's Woods.
After . voyage Of many weeks the ship
arrived at she Delaware oapes. and sail
Ing up the Delaware river cast aA chor
st Grubb's Landing, between Whining.
ton and Claymont. where William and
his wife ard son went ashore. PlAsin Z
themselves under an Indian guide, who
was to take them inland 20 far that they
would not enctoach upon the SseC ism
settlem ents along and near the river,
after travelling some eleven 10 lies along
the Iudian path they came near the Ia.
dian village, just south of the present
village Of Dilworthtown, In Chester
County. Here William pitched his
tent In the y ear 1854, forming friend
ship with the Indians that lasted while
there were any Indians in the country.
When Penn established his survey OF
lands, William had trAct OF 460 acrea,
the hut being near the east end, and the
Indian graveyard being within the
lines, Andrew and Hannah, the two
last OF the Indians, were buried there
near the beginning OF the PRESENT CEN
lury.
In 1704 William hod o stone house
built. Friends meetings were held In
this house In 1890, and 1t stood until
1882. when 1t was remodeled by Mr..
Faucett. the present owner.
But to 60 back little way In the his
tory OF the Brinton family. William
the elder, took mp anoIhor tract OF land
about 600 acres, for his three dAug hters
| who were married and had followed
them TO America.
The road that led from the farm houst
TO the daughters land WAS known 81
| the sandy Hollow road, and along thit
road she British travelled and fought on
the day o! the battle OF Brandy wine.
But now brief iutrod uction OF whai
Led 70 the building Of the Birmingham
meeting house noted In the history ol
the patton. Up to 1890 the Friends
held their meetings In William Brln
toms house. The roads being bad, ai
the request OF come of the Frienos q
meeting was establifhed at the house Ol
John Bennett. 3 son-ip-law Of William
| Brinton, In 1704, The meetings were
| held here for some time. when log
building was erected on William Brin
ton's land that he bought for his daugh
ter Esther. The building was moi
much better than q barn and had nc
fireplace. A number of years after
wards the Friends appointed q commit
tse to procure lands upon which &c
bald q stone meeting house. Oa tht
7ih OF October, 17N, William Briaton,
Joseph Brinton, Joseph Taylor, Nicho
las Fredd and Philip Taylor. trustees,
bought an aore OF ground from widow
Elisabeth Webb for Q graveyard and
npon which TO erect . meeting house.
They paid Sc sterling for the ground.
The new stone NEE ting b use was butt
the next spring, 1929, and the member
ship increased TO such an extent that In
1868 an addition WAS built to the east
end. In the year 1869 wnll was built
along the road along ths north side oil
the grave yard. Behind THE wall the
Americans were barricaded on the 1lth
of September, 1777, and from behind II
they poured o murderous Are into the
ranks OF their enemies. The meeting
house was used IS Q hospital for the
wounded of both armies. Stains OF
blood may still be seen upon the fool
by removing the carpeting.
ROUTE TO THE BATTLE FIELD.
Up 10 1777, Philadelphia had not fal.
len into the hands of the British, bui
many paper plans were laid by the
British Generals to capture the city
from " hich the Declaration Of Indepen
a Nan It.d - AaA LIZ lnh han